1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a pen with a light-emitting body allowing users to write in the dark, and particularly to a light-emitting pen with a light reflecting and enhancing chamber which reduces the illuminated area, concentrates the light to the targeting area, and achieves a more even and brighter lighting result on the surface to be written on.
2. Description of Related Art
In the prior art, light-emitting pens may incorporate a slim flash light attached to the pen, or integrate a light-emitting body into the body of the pen. Typically, a transparent front pen tube is used to allow light goes through.
Generally, the light-emitting pens of the prior art encounters two problems, the ineffective lighting result and the shadow caused by the light blocking off of the ink cartridge.
To compensate the ineffectiveness of lighting, usually the light-emitting body is located relatively close to the pen tip; thus, a shorter ink cartridge is employed and a short usage life of pen can not be voided. In the case of purposely elongating the usage life of pen, making up for the short length of ink cartridge, an ink cartridge of larger diameter may be used; however, it causes more shadow problem, duce to more light blocking off by the cartridge itself.
The disadvantage or prior art mentioned here is shown in FIG. 5. In FIG. 5, it shows a less controlled light propagating, spreading light over the surrounding space through a long transparent front pen tube, rather than having light toward to the targeting area to be written on. And, less illumination on the targeting area to be written on occurs due to part of the emitted light being wasted. Furthermore, the spreading over light may cause a shining that is uncomfortable to eyes when trying to concentrate viewing at the surface to be written on. Besides, a dark shadow, usually at the area around the writing pen tip, limits the purpose of a light-emitting pen.
Design of the present invention incorporates a xe2x80x9clight reflecting chambersxe2x80x9d. A light reflecting chamber recovers part of the emitted light that goes to the cylindrical side of front pen tube rather than going directly to the pen tip. It reflects light and indirectly propagates the light toward the pen tip, hence, enhancing the total illumination on the surface to be written on. Further more, the additional light recovering, reflected from the cylindrical rim of light reflecting chamber to the pen tip as a effect of side illuminating, reduces or eliminates the shadow, caused from light blocking off by the ink cartridge. As illustrated in FIG. 4, this lighting pattern also helps avoiding the uncomfortable shining to the eyes as mentioned above.
The present invention is directed to a light-emitting pen with which writing in dark becomes more convenient because of a improved illumination, due to the design of the present invention that employs a light reflecting chamber in the light-emitting pen.
In an embodiment of the invention, a writing implement with a built-in illumination system has a transparent cone of front pen tube accommodating an ink cartridge, a hollow cylindrical barrel surrounded by a light reflecting tube, a middle ring housing the light-emitting body and an annular light reflecting plate, a power chamber housed in the rear pen tube and consisting of a LED conducting wire channel and a battery room, a conducting spring, a push tube, a switching cap, and a pen cap with clip protecting the ink cartridge tip.
When light switches on, a part of the emitted lightpasses straightly and directly toward the cone of front pen tube through the hollow of the front pen tube to light up the surface to be written on, simultaneously, another part of the light is reflected at the surface of the annular light reflecting plate and the polished mirror-like inner wall surface of the light reflecting tube and is propagated toward the cone of front pen tube. As a result, the emitted light portion hidden by the ink cartridge is indirectly covered back and illuminates the surface to be written on. Consequently, illumination is enhanced, a more even illumination result achieved, and a shadow made by the ink cartridge is reduced or eliminated.
The various objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the appended drawing.